Chapter 15
The Union Severed
The American People, 6th ed.
I. Organizing for War
The Balance of Resources
 In the early days of the war, the armies of
the North and South were comparable.
 Many northern assets would not become
effective until months later.
 Although the North had a superior
logistical base, the South believed the
quality and experience of its people alone
could win the war.
Border States
 The states of the upper South provided a
natural border between the two
belligerents.
 The loyalty of each of these states
represented a important milestone to
both Confederacy and Union.
II. Clashing on the
Battlefield
War in the East
 General Winfield Scott, commander of
the Union forces pressed for a long,
cautious strategy that became known as
the Anaconda Plan.
 Sea and land blockades would strangle
the South.
 Lincoln and the voters preferred action
and a quick victory.
War in the West
 In the western theatre of war, the Union had two ma
objectives:
 The domination of Kentucky and eastern Tennessee
which were natural avenues of travel from east to w
 The control of the Mississippi River to split the
Confederacy and prevent its ability to trade
 Ulysses S. Grant proved his leadership abilities in th
Vicksburg campaign, causing Lincoln
(after man
other choices) to settle on Grant as supreme
commander.
Cotton Diplomacy
 Although recognition by even one of the
European powers would give the South
credibility as a sovereign nation, the
Europeans were quick to declare
neutrality.
 Southerners mistakenly assumed that
dwindling European supplies of cotton as
the war progressed would eventually force
government recognition.
 European industrialists found new sources
of cotton in India and Egypt.
Common Problems
 Both treasuries had started the war empty
and the cost of fighting was enormous
 Both sides initiated taxation on a small
scale
 Both sides tried borrowing in the form of
government bonds
 Both sides resorted to printing inflated
amounts of money
 Both sides confronted severe manpower
needs and had to enact some form of draft
III. The Tide Turns
The Emancipation
Proclamation
 Lincoln envisioned the freeing of the slaves
primarily as a tool for crippling the South
 In 1862, Lincoln tried to entice border states into
reducing their slave holdings gradually
 Lincoln argued that freeing the slaves would
ultimately save white lives and preserve the
Union
 Lincoln issued the proclamation on New Year’s
Day, 1863
Changing Military
Strategies
 In 1863, Lee decided that a defensive
posture would never win the war for the
South.
 Hoping for a victory that would eventually
lead to the capture of a great northern city,
Lee marched against the Union army at
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania with disastrous
results.
 Replacing Meade, Grant adapted the
Anaconda Plan to a plan of drastic
annihilation.
IV. Changes Wrought
by War
A New South
 Central government continued to expand
in the South, bringing with it increased
taxation and interference with private
property, the ideals that most
Southerners were fighting against
 More land was converted to raising food
crops
 Many Southerners were forced to accept
factory work for the war effort
The North
 Like Davis, Lincoln was accused of
running a dictatorship
 The staggering costs of war helped
revolutionize the financial system of the
region
 Agriculture increased, producing
surpluses of food
 Manufacturing increased